


Not Broken, Just Bent

by wesawbears



Category: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue Series - Mackenzi Lee
Genre: M/M, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 16:29:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11832591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wesawbears/pseuds/wesawbears
Summary: Monty and Percy are about to go on their third date and Monty is hardcore panicking. A "how they got together" fic for modern!AU, that also manages to be a coffeeshop!AU.





	Not Broken, Just Bent

Monty recognized that at this moment, he was completely and utterly screwed.

It was his third date with Percy, which meant that this was it. The moment when they decided whether or not this relationship was worth continuing. At least, Monty was pretty sure that was how it worked. It’s not like he had dated many people when he was in the closet and under his father’s roof, more prone to sneaking out for quick one-off encounters.

Which was another thing he didn’t want Percy to know. The sordid details of Monty’s various hookups would definitely not entice Percy, who’d only progressed to handholding and kissing on the second date, to want to continue seeing him. Which Monty absolutely wanted.

The entire thing between them had started two weeks ago. Monty, fresh from dropping out of college and summarily cut off by his father for it (among other reasons), desperately needed to find a job. Through masterful use of his dimples and some embellishment of his qualifications, he had managed to scrounge up a job as a barista at a local coffee shop.

He met Percy on his second day, when he humiliated Monty by asking him for another tea, as Monty had given him a cup of plain, boiled water. His saving grace, in Monty’s eyes, was the fact that Percy graciously didn’t tell his boss, and that he was undoubtedly the most attractive man Monty had ever seen.

He took it upon himself to bring Percy a pastry during his break (out of Monty’s paycheck, he might add) and they talked until Monty had to return to work. Fortune had apparently smiled on Monty for once that day because Percy asked what time he clocked out and they agreed to hang out after.

He learned that Percy was a music student at the university and their first date was to an open mic night at a local pub. Monty wasn’t a huge fan of any of the music, but once they were a little tipsy, Monty convinced Percy to go up, only to have Percy recite a ridiculous poem about Monty before playing a song on his violin.

Since then, they’d texted practically nonstop and had gone on another date, this time to an impromptu picnic in the park. Percy had been cornered by some passerbys into playing a little and Monty had been driven into a tree by an angry goose, but they held hands on the walk home and Percy kissed him on his doorstep before saying goodnight. 

Monty was equal parts thrilled about kissing Percy and frustrated by Percy’s refusal to come inside, insecurities warring between wanting to believe that Percy was just being a gentleman and worrying that he just saw Monty’s crappy apartment and decided he wasn’t worth it.

Which led to now. Percy had texted him asking him to come over to Percy’s apartment for dinner. So this was definitely a third date and it was definitely a big deal and he was definitely freaking out. Because he liked Percy. It was the first time he wanted to do more than just spend a night with someone; he wanted dates and romance and the whole, terrifying gamut. But there was no way sweet, wholesome Percy would want to stick around once he knew the truth about Monty and all his baggage. So he resolved to enjoy this date, have the time of his life, and then cut Percy loose before either of them got hurt.

Being responsible sucked.

\--

Monty stood outside Percy’s door at 4:45 PM, debating how desperate he would look showing up fifteen minutes early. He braved it and knocked, and the door opened to reveal an adorably rumpled Percy, hair sticking up every which way.

“Monty! Hi...um...come in and make yourself comfortable.”

Monty followed Percy to the kitchen, where he seemed to be pleading with a pan. “Is-is it supposed to hiss?”

Percy looked at him warily. “I-I’m not much of a cook. I guess I just wanted to impress you.”

Monty bit his lip, hoping he wasn’t blushing as much as he thought he was. “That’s-awesome,” he finished lamely, kicking himself for sounding so awkward.

Percy ran a hand through his hair. “Is takeout okay?”

Monty nodded and waited while Percy called for delivery. While they waited, they settled on the couch and Percy reached for his hand. They had reached the point where Monty was resting his head on Percy’s shoulder when Percy spoke up. “So...Monty. I’ve had a really great time these past few weeks and-”

Monty’s heart fell. Here it was. Not wanting to hear Percy’s inevitable rejection, he said, “I get it. I”m nice, but you want to find someone you have more in common with. It’s okay.”

Percy looked at him, baffled. “What? No, Monty...I was asking if you wanted to be my boyfriend. Do you...if that’s not what you’re looking for..”

Monty’s eyes widened. “What? No! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to muck everything up. Just try again.”

Percy pursed his lips. “Actually, I think you should go.”

“Percy, come on-”

“I can’t be worried about you just saying what you think I want to hear.”

Monty opened his mouth to respond, but finding he had nothing to say, he stormed off.

\--

The next few days were dreadfully boring, with no texts, nothing to look forward to. Every time the door to the coffee shop opened, his head shot up, hoping to catch a glimpse of Percy coming in to sweep him off his feet.

As luck would have it, Percy strolled into the shop at the one moment Monty wasn’t looking. He was restocking the pastries and when he popped back up, Percy was there, looking serious and devastating as always.

“Can we-talk?”

Monty glanced at the clock. “I get off in ten minutes. Mind waiting?”

Percy shook his head.

“Still want to risk the tea?” Monty asked, testing the waters.

To his relief, Percy smiled. “You’ve gotten better.”

Once his shift was over, Monty went over to the corner table (their table, his mind supplied unhelpfully) and sat across from Percy. After a moment of awkward silence, he said, “I know I was stupid, but I really like you and I would love to be your boyfriend, if you’ll still have me. I mean, I get why you wouldn’t want me-”

Percy put a finger to his lips. “Monty. Of course I still want you. You’re fun and beautiful and funny and- amazing.”

“But?”

“Why do you always think there’s a but?”

Monty looked down. “Because I’m a college dropout with no prospects? Because my family kicked me out and I don’t know if it’s because I dropped out or because I’m bi? Because I’m pretty sure it’s the latter since it’s the only thing that would’ve pissed my dad off enough to hit me so hard I need a hearing aid? Because no one should have to deal with all of this, especially not someone as wonderful as you.”

Percy paused, taking it all in before saying, “I have epilepsy.”

“What?”

“Epilepsy. It means I have seizures. No one knows what causes them. It means living alone is extremely hard for me, but I show that, my family will pull me out of school and probably try to send me somewhere, even though I’ve done the research and I know of tons of people who live alone with epilepsy. Is that enough baggage for you?”

Monty’s face crumpled. “It’s not- it’s just something about you. You can’t help that.”

Percy tipped Monty’s head up. “Exactly. And yours isn’t baggage either. It’s just where you came from. You can’t help that. Neither of us did anything wrong to get the circumstances we did.”

Monty didn’t know what to say, so he answered in the language he was best at. He leaned across the table to kiss Percy soundly on the mouth. “Can we go on another date? I really want to go on another date.”

Percy smirked. “Are you sure? I heard third dates get serious.”

Monty laughed and his heart felt full and for the first time in a long time, something big had happened, but he didn’t feel like his world was caving in. He felt like he was right where he was supposed to be.


End file.
